As part of Steam Rhythm Fest, you can now get a lot of great rhythm games for cheap. In fact, we’ve picked out 7 games that you should definitely buy while the event runs until August 26th, right? here. But there’s one game that’s not in the roundup that deserves mention: the rhythm adventure game Song of Plateau.
The 2023 game is from developer inkle, the studio behind the indie darling heaven’s vault, 80 daysand That’s too much!transporting players to the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. While there are rhythm elements, as you’d expect considering its participation in the Steam Rhythm Fest sale, most Song of Plateauis a loose narrative adventure game with rich time-travel mechanics that is a love letter to the highlands themselves.
Let me tell you from first-hand experience, having just returned from a trip to Scotland where I spent a lot of time hiking and exploring the game’s real-world inspirations, the Highlands are special. The rolling hills, rushing rivers and massive mountains are steeped in history and folklore, and in addition to being constantly soaked by rain, it feels like the land has absorbed living cultural memory. this is what it feels like Song of Plateau It’s trying to resonate with people, and it works really well.
The game takes players on a multi-day trek from protagonist Moira McKinnon’s home (which she is escaping from) to her uncle’s lighthouse. Between point A and point B is the beautiful and dangerous scenery that the Highlands are famous for. Unstable weather brings storms or snowfall, and sheer cliffs and deep caves keep getting in your way, and you’ll soon find out that this journey isn’t going to be easy. Song of Plateau All of these obstacles become meaningful challenges because Moira is fragile and must rest every night to stay warm and healthy. Sleep without shelter or stay out in the rain for too long, and you can freeze to death. Slip after running out of stamina while climbing, and you’ll find half of your health bar suddenly gone. In order to keep Moira alive and complete this journey, you’ll need to take your time.
This methodical approach encourages you to explore the game’s setting. Eventually, thanks to this more exploratory approach, you’ll begin to uncover the stories that unfold throughout the book. Every hill and valley you traverse has a story to tell – you might discover remnants of Jacobite Revolution battlefields or even encounter potentially mythical creatures from Scottish folklore. Each encounter offers a lesson about the land and its people. Highland SongThe pacing aspect comes in moments of time travel, when you have to chase a deer and click on timed inputs set to the game’s soundtrack. While it’s not a thrilling rhythm game due to its simplicity, Following the Deer often takes you far away from your starting point and off the beaten track, providing plenty of exploration for those interested in discovering more about this surreal space.
None of this discovery is forced upon the player through annoying quests or overly signposted events, but through a natural sense of adventure. When you play, you can go anywhere you want and you’ll find something interesting. As cliché as it sounds, Song of Plateau is a game about the journey, not the destination – it’s an excellent journey, thanks not only to a fantasy world inspired by the true beauty and history of the Highlands, but also to extremely challenging traversal mechanics that make every bit of progress can all feel truly beneficial.
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